Immigration Evaluations

A mental health evaluation for immigration is a conversation with a licensed mental health professional. We will talk about your history (where you come from, how and why you came to this country, and what your life is like now) as well as the state of your mental and emotional health as it relates to the reason for your immigration petition. The psychological assessment provides critical evidence for the immigration case, and often it’s the most important deciding factor in whether or not a family can stay together or can escape life-threatening circumstances in a home country.

The assessments I administer include:

A thorough biopsychosocial history.

Behavioral observations and interpretations.

Clinical assessment, interpretation of symptoms, and DSM 5 diagnoses.

Administration of validated symptom screening tools and severity measures to support clinical diagnoses.

Culturally sensitive de-stigmatization of symptoms and referrals for ongoing treatment, as indicated.

I pride myself on providing compassionate, thorough, and skilled evaluations to both adults and unaccompanied minors. I am experienced in addressing the unique cultural needs of immigrant, LGBTQ, and transcultural individuals and families.

Types of Evaluations:

TRAUMA EVALUATIONS (U VISA, T VISA, ASYLUM, & VAWA PETITIONS)

Trauma Evaluations take a deep look into the impact that the trauma in question has had on a client’s overall mental health as well as their functioning. The report clearly differentiates the client’s mental state pre- and post-trauma and includes clinical diagnoses.

Many clients have a long, intense history of trauma. As a trauma-trained therapist, I deeply understand the complexity of chronic exposure to stress and have the skills to assess the cumulative psychological impact over time as well as the changes related to discrete incidents within a larger story.

HARDSHIP EVALUATIONS (I-601 & I-601A WAIVERS)

Hardship Evaluations are both broad and deep, assessing the diverse ways one may be impacted by a loved one’s inadmissability.

Multiple areas of life are explored and assessed: Health, Mental Health, Work & Finances, Education, Personal Considerations, and Special Factors, among others. Each of these areas of potential hardship is assessed from both 1) the perspective of the resident/citizen remaining in the US without their spouse or family member and 2) the perspective of the resident/citizen leaving the US with their spouse or family member.